Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday instructed the authorities concerned to revamp the traffic management system in the capital to reduce congestion and public suffering.

The directive came during a special meeting on easing traffic congestion and modernising Dhaka’s traffic system, held at the Prime Minister’s Office at the Secretariat on Tuesday afternoon, his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said.

Having foregone prime ministerial protocol to commute around the city as ordinary citizens do, the current premier's initiative and commitment to easing the capital's crippling traffic may carry more credibility.

“At the meeting, the Prime Minister gave several directives to take swift and effective measures to ease traffic congestion in the capital. He also stressed the importance of modernising the traffic management system and making it suitable for present-day needs,” Rumon said.

Officials expressed hope that the short-term plans, once implemented, could significantly ease traffic congestion in Dhaka by the end of April, while medium- and long-term measures would bring substantial improvements to the overall system.

Key decisions taken at the meeting include introducing automated traffic signals using local technology in phases, covering 120 signals across the city; constructing new bypass roads around Dhaka, along with overpasses and underpasses within the city; removing unplanned bus counters; relocating five inter-district bus terminals outside the city for later use as city bus terminals; and clearing illegal occupation from roadsides while removing electric poles from the middle of roads to ensure smoother vehicle movement.

The meeting also decided to introduce automatic signal lighting systems at railway crossings alongside existing manual systems, bring city buses under a GPS-based monitoring system, equip most foot overbridges with escalators, and install lifts using local technology at footbridges near hospital areas.

Administrators of Dhaka North and South City Corporations said they expect to implement most of the proposed measures by April 7.

Labour leader Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, MP, will coordinate with transport owners and workers’ organisations to ensure effective implementation.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Minister for Road Transport, Bridges, Railways and Shipping Sheikh Robiul Alam, State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid Habib, labour leader Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, MP, Administrators of Dhaka North and South City Corporations, RAJUK Chairman Riazul Islam Riju, BRTC Chairman Abdul Latif Molla, Inspector General of Police Ali Hossain Fakir, and other senior officials attended the meeting.